Effective assessment provides learners and teachers with feedback about past progress and their needs for future developments. It should meet academic standards and prepare students for future learning in work and life. Feedback should be specific and given as quickly as possible. Through a course, feedback should be tailored towards self-assessment. Academic integrity is a core value of the University of Sydney and students should receive regular education so that they have the tools and knowledge to always act honestly and ethically.
Approaches
The Coursework Policy states that:
- Assessment practices align with goals, context, learning activities and learning outcomes
- Assessment tasks reflect increasing levels of complexity across a program and foster enquiry-based learning
- Constructive, timely and respectful feedback develops students’ skills of self and peer evaluation and guides the development of future student work
The Academic Integrity in Coursework Policy requires:
- A collective culture that champions academic honesty fostered by all staff, affiliates and students
- Effective education and authentic assessment
Examples
- Provide regular (formative) opportunities for students to master topics, apply conceptual understanding and practice skills
- Consider remodelling high stakes summative assessments by use of staged assignments where students work on a substantial project through a number of stages of peer and teacher feedback on designs, prototypes or drafts
- Design assessment and feedback to model authentic professional/disciplinary practices and tasks
- Provide opportunities for meaningful small group discussions on the purpose and requirements of each assessment and of our combined responsibility for their integrity
